Dave Checketts

The NHL board of governors approved the sale of the St. Louis Blues yesterday to a group headed by Dave Checketts, former president of Madison Square Garden. The deal, reached March 24, transfers ownership of the Blues - the league's worst team this season - and the Savvis Center from Bill and Nancy Laurie to Checketts and his Sports Capital Partners and Towerbrook Capital Partners. The board also approved the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes by Steve Ellman to Jerry Moyes at its annual end-of-season meeting.

Pat Riley, who had little to say when he quit the New York Knicks in June, has blasted his former team, saying he was "used, manipulated, promised, ignored (and) threatened. " In a story published yesterday in the New York Daily News, Riley said he was treated unfairly by team president Dave Checketts in four seasons with the Knicks. Riley was hired Saturday to coach Miami after the Heat gave New York $1 million and a first-round draft pick to release Riley from his contract. "I got tired of being used, manipulated, promised, ignored, threatened and eventually, I got tired of somebody not living up to his word," Riley said.

Line up. Have your best offer ready. Patrick Ewing is available. For the first time since last June, when Ewing challenged the New York Knicks in arbitration in a salary dispute, the Knicks said publicly yesterday that they are considering trading their All-Star center. "We're going to do what's best for the Knicks," club president Dave Checketts said. "We're going to explore all opportunities to improve our team, including the possibility of trading Patrick Ewing. " It was the strongest indication so far that Checketts might be running out of patience with Ewing, who went to arbitration in an attempt to become a restricted free agent and rejected a contract extension worth about $33 million.

High above the Madison Square Garden floor, way up there near the rafters, Dave Checketts looks down on the team that he has built, looks down on these special Knicks, and a feeling of pride and satisfaction engulfs him. The Knicks' playoff fate will be determined in coming days. But what the club's president has seen up to this point out of his team in general and his coach, Pat Riley, in particular, has him more pleased than he ever imagined. He knew that Riley's stature, his experience and his know-how made him the one coach Checketts wanted to construct the Knicks into a champion.

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh lashed out at NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and the media a day after being dropped from a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. On his syndicated show yesterday, Limbaugh said he was approached by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts earlier this year about participating in a Rams bid. Checketts assured him his involvement as a minority investor had been vetted by the NFL, he said. "I said to him at this meeting, 'Are you aware of the firestorm?

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh lashed out at NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the media a day after being dropped from a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. On his syndicated show yestersday, Limbaugh said he was approached by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts earlier this year about participating in a Rams bid. Checketts assured him his involvement as a minority investor had been vetted by the NFL, he said. "I said to him at this meeting, 'Are you aware of the firestorm?

New York Knicks general manager Ernie Grunfeld can't dwell on what might have been. He's too busy worrying about what might be. After watching his team blow a 3-1 series lead to the Miami Heat in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, Grunfeld now has another problem. His franchise player, Patrick Ewing becomes a free agent July 1. While Grunfeld said re-signing Ewing is his top priority, Ewing's agent said the center hasn't decided if he wants to return to New York.

To Pat Riley, it wasn't the money. It was power. When the New York Knicks balked at his bid to become part owner, the coach resigned yesterday, walking away with a year left on his contract and turning down a five-year, $15 million extension. "I emphasize that the decision to leave the Knicks had absolutely nothing to do with money," Riley said. "The financial package which we had been discussing was extremely generous. Regrettably, there were serious differences and questions about authority and final decision-making.

The Utah Jazz beefed up its front line with centers Darryl Dawkins and Mel Turpin in a seven-player, three-team NBA trade yesterday. The shuffle began with the New Jersey Nets sending Dawkins and center James Bailey to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard John Bagley and forward Keith Lee. The Cavaliers then sent Dawkins and Turpin to Utah for center Kent Benson and guard Dell Curry. The transaction gave the Jazz two centers to back up 7-foot-4 Mark Eaton. Dave Checketts, the team's president and general manager, said he expected it to provide the club with much-neeed inside scoring.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh was to be a limited partner in a bid led by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts, but Checketts said in a statement yesterday that Limbaugh's participation had complicated the effort. The group will move forward without him. Checketts said he will have no further comment on the bid process. Limbaugh did not immediately respond to an e-mail sent late yesterday seeking comment on Checketts' decision.

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh lashed out at NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the media a day after being dropped from a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. On his syndicated show yestersday, Limbaugh said he was approached by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts earlier this year about participating in a Rams bid. Checketts assured him his involvement as a minority investor had been vetted by the NFL, he said. "I said to him at this meeting, 'Are you aware of the firestorm?

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh lashed out at NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and the media a day after being dropped from a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. On his syndicated show yesterday, Limbaugh said he was approached by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts earlier this year about participating in a Rams bid. Checketts assured him his involvement as a minority investor had been vetted by the NFL, he said. "I said to him at this meeting, 'Are you aware of the firestorm?

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh was to be a limited partner in a bid led by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts, but Checketts said in a statement yesterday that Limbaugh's participation had complicated the effort. The group will move forward without him. Checketts said he will have no further comment on the bid process. Limbaugh did not immediately respond to an e-mail sent late yesterday seeking comment on Checketts' decision.

The NHL board of governors approved the sale of the St. Louis Blues yesterday to a group headed by Dave Checketts, former president of Madison Square Garden. The deal, reached March 24, transfers ownership of the Blues - the league's worst team this season - and the Savvis Center from Bill and Nancy Laurie to Checketts and his Sports Capital Partners and Towerbrook Capital Partners. The board also approved the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes by Steve Ellman to Jerry Moyes at its annual end-of-season meeting.

Three long years had passed since Mark Messier last donned a New York Rangers sweater. When he pulled one on again, the memories of the good times overwhelmed him. "I knew what it meant to be a Ranger before and how tough it was leaving," said a tearful Messier, who signed a two-year deal with the Rangers yesterday to return and be their captain, as he was from 1991 to '97. "To be able to come back is exciting for me and my family. I'm proud to be a Ranger. " In the three years Messier was gone, neither his Vancouver Canucks team nor the Rangers made the playoffs.

The man that emerges from the ice rink at this sleepy suburban amusement park is entirely midtown Manhattan, with his parted blond hair and power tie that perfectly matches a dark tailored suit. It is strange to see him on this Monday before the hockey season begins here at Rye Playland, Westchester County's version of Coney Island, where the New York Rangers come to practice during the off months. Dave Checketts, president of Madison Square Garden, is usually only this concerned with the New York Knicks.

The day the rank and file goes back to work after an ugly labor stoppage traditionally is when words are eaten. For different reasons, Dave Checketts and Karl Malone had full plates, and they licked them clean. Three years ago, when the Knicks traded troubled Anthony Mason to Charlotte, Checketts, the Madison Square Garden president, said the team would bring in only solid citizens. He singled out Dennis Rodman as the type of guy he didn't want. So how will he explain it if the Knicks end up with Rodman, as has been speculated?

New York Knicks general manager Ernie Grunfeld can't dwell on what might have been. He's too busy worrying about what might be. After watching his team blow a 3-1 series lead to the Miami Heat in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, Grunfeld now has another problem. His franchise player, Patrick Ewing becomes a free agent July 1. While Grunfeld said re-signing Ewing is his top priority, Ewing's agent said the center hasn't decided if he wants to return to New York.

Team president Dave Checketts and the New York Knicks are staring an unpleasant reality in the face today. Once up three games to one in this best-of-seven series, the Knicks are now in a 3-3 tie. Their season has come down to one game; pushed to the limit by Heat coach Pat Riley. A man once loved by New Yorkers, now hated, who contends: "I left town because of one man and one man only. " Everyone knows who Riley is talking about. Worse, Checketts knows better than anyone how much Riley is enjoying the way this series has unfolded, for a variety of reasons.

Pat Riley, who had little to say when he quit the New York Knicks in June, has blasted his former team, saying he was "used, manipulated, promised, ignored (and) threatened. " In a story published yesterday in the New York Daily News, Riley said he was treated unfairly by team president Dave Checketts in four seasons with the Knicks. Riley was hired Saturday to coach Miami after the Heat gave New York $1 million and a first-round draft pick to release Riley from his contract. "I got tired of being used, manipulated, promised, ignored, threatened and eventually, I got tired of somebody not living up to his word," Riley said.